Ministry Internship and Job Fair

We are going virtual

Virtual Job Fair for 2015 took place on February 28. Stay tuned for 2016 date!

What is a virtual job fair?

A virtual job fair is one that takes place online. CYMS wanted to give our ministry partners both near and far the opportunity to participate.

Who can participate?

The fair is free and open to the public. Any ministry organization seeking to fill job or internship positions may register, as can any and all job/internship seekers.

How it Works

For ministries seeking applicants for jobs and internships:

Step 1: Register. Be prepared with a job description and details. Please note the fair is for job and internship positions, not volunteer positions. Please read pages 3 through 5 of the North Park University Internships Manual for clarification on unpaid internships and volunteer positions.

Step 2: In your email confirmation, you will be given the name of the Facebook group where the virtual fair will take place on February 28 from 10:00 am to noon. You can find the group and request to be added as a member.

Step 3: Check the Facebook group each week for articles, tips, and other goodies related to the job fair. You will receive a digital booklet with resumes of job/internship seekers (who opt in for distribution) the Monday prior to the fair.

Step 4: Be available online at the assigned time the morning of the fair to interact with interested parties. You may private-message job/internship seekers that you are interested in speaking with, and you may be private-messaged by seekers interested in your organization. We recommend that you publicly post in the Facebook group that you are online and available for conversation, along with a link to your website and potentially any job/internship descriptions you have. We ask that you refrain from private messaging group members prior February 28 at 10:00 am CST, to maintain fairness to all organizations.

Step 5: If you are interested in a digital face-to-face meeting, you may share Skype or FaceTime information for further conversation.

For Job/Internship Seekers:

Step 1: Register. Be prepared to upload your resume. You will be asked if you would like to share your resume in a digital booklet with all ministries participating in the fair, which will be distributed the Monday prior to the fair.

Step 2: In your email confirmation, you will be given the name of the Facebook group where the virtual fair will take place on February 28 from 10:00 am – noon. You can find the group and request to be added as a member. Do so as soon as possible to take advantage of professional development tips and information in advance.

Step 3: Check the Facebook group each week for articles, tips, and other goodies related to the job fair. A schedule will appear in the days prior to the fair letting you know what times each ministry will be available and online in the Facebook group for discussion.

Step 4: Be available online in the Facebook group during the assigned times of organizations you are interested in on the morning of the fair to interact with them. You may post in the Facebook group during the hours the fair is “live” to let ministries know you are available to digitally interact with them, or you can choose to private-message ministries. We recommend you publicly post in the group when you are “online” and you are welcome to post a resume at the time to remind organizations who you are.

Step 5: If you are interested in a digital face-to-face conversation, you may share Skype or FaceTime information for further conversation.

Tips for Attendees at the Virtual Job Fair

The Facebook group will have comments and posting disabled until February 28 at 10:00 am. Hosts of the virtual job fair will post useful information each week leading up to the fair.

Be creative! When the fair starts, feel free to post videos you have created that show who you are as a ministry (ministry organizations), or who you are as someone in ministry looking for a position (job/internship seekers).

Digital mock interviews will be offered prior to the fair. Stay tuned to the Facebook group for announcements and sign-up details.

Remember that this is a job/internship fair. Even though it is virtual, we discourage the use of “digital speak” such as LOL (laugh out loud), abbreviations, and emoticons. Speak and behave as though you are meeting people at an in-person job/internship fair.

Be prepared to potentially be "face-to-face" via Skype or FaceTime. Be dressed and prepped the way you would for an in-person interview.

We recommend you don’t use a device that uses auto-correct so that you can minimize miscommunications the day of the fair. For full control, we recommend you use a laptop or desktop computer with a large screen and web cam instead of a tablet or phone. We also recommend you take a second to read what you type before you hit send in any conversation.

If this is your first time utilizing technology in this way to communicate, don’t be afraid! Tips and other helpful articles/videos about virtual job fair etiquette will be posted to the Facebook group in advance.

Contact Center for Youth Ministry Studies with any questions via email or by phone at (773) 244-5207.